Decluttering doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task that requires hours of effort. In fact, taking small and consistent steps can lead to significant results over time. By incorporating low effort, high impact decluttering strategies into your routine, you can simplify your space and create a more organized and peaceful environment. In this blog post, we’ll share 14 decluttering tips that require minimal time and effort but deliver impressive results in transforming your living spaces.
Welcome to my Year Long Thorough Declutter Series. We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Each day we do a daily task based on the room we are working on. Today, our task is to start decluttering your clutter in your guest room or kid’s room. If you prefer watching videos, check out my youtube channel here. Today, we’ll look at some tips to declutter any outdated calendars and notebooks.
The best way to develop a new habit is by slowly and daily application. We will begin a new daily declutter habit starting with the 2nd bathroom. In the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series, we will declutter 30 minutes a day, five days a week on weekdays. Sign up to receive daily encouragement and motivation.
Plus, you’ll learn your specific daily task to work toward completing the goal of a Year Long Thorough Declutter where you will declutter every space and learn how to start to purge your house. Are you ready to finally get organized? If so, will you join us? Leave a comment below to subscribe.
If you are new to the blog, welcome! I blog about cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. You can find my free printables to help you get organized in the drop down menu under the Printables category.
Currently we are working on decluttering the Guest Room or Kid’s Room. The daily task for today, Aug. 10, 2023, is to begin to declutter any outdated calendars and notebooks. Remember, we are focusing on just the guest room or kid’s room area, so don’t declutter your whole house. We will cover each room separately.
14 Low Effort, High Impact Decluttering Tips: Simplify Your Space with Ease
1. Start with a Daily Five-Minute Declutter:
The first high impact decluttering tip I have is to utilize a timer. Set a timer for just five minutes each day to declutter a small area. Tackle a drawer, shelf, or countertop. Over time, these small efforts will add up to a clutter-free space.
2. The “One In, One Out” Rule:
For every new item you bring into your home, remove one item. This high impact decluttering rule ensures that your belongings don’t accumulate unchecked.
3. Clear Countertops and Surfaces:
Designate specific spaces for frequently used items and clear off excess clutter from countertops and surfaces. A clutter-free surface instantly makes a room feel more organized and is a great high impact decluttering tip.
4. Set a Timer for Decluttering Sessions:
Choose a specific amount of time, like 15 or 30 minutes, to focus on decluttering. Setting a timer creates a sense of urgency and prevents you from getting overwhelmed.
5. Declutter While Waiting:
Utilize waiting time, such as during commercials or while waiting for water to boil, to declutter a small area nearby. This high impact decluttering tip will help you to make a dent in the clutter with minimal effort.
6. Use the “Four-Box Method”:
Place four boxes or bags labeled “Donate,” “Sell,” “Trash,” and “Relocate.” As you declutter, sort items into these boxes for quick decision-making.
7. Digital Decluttering:
Clear your digital clutter by organizing files, deleting old emails, and unsubscribing from unnecessary newsletters.
8. Clothing Hanger Trick:
Turn all your clothing hangers in your closet the opposite way. As you wear items, put them back with the hangers facing the correct way. After a few months, you’ll easily identify clothes you rarely wear.
9. Declutter Your Refrigerator:
Take a few minutes to remove expired items, wipe down shelves, and organize the contents of your refrigerator. A clean fridge encourages healthy eating habits.
10. Create a “Maybe” Box:
If you’re unsure about certain items, place them in a “Maybe” box. Store the box out of sight for a few months; if you don’t miss the items, it’s time to let them go.
11. Focus on One Category at a Time:
Decluttering by category (e.g., books, kitchenware, clothes) helps you see the true quantity of items you own, making decisions easier.
12. The 12-12-12 Challenge:
Find 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to return to their proper places. This simple challenge can quickly declutter different areas of your home.
13. Take Photos of Sentimental Items:
If you’re sentimentally attached to items but want to reduce clutter, take photos of them. You can preserve memories without holding onto physical objects.
14. Mindful Purchasing:
Before buying something new, ask yourself if you truly need it and have a place for it. Avoid impulsive purchases that can contribute to clutter.
Decluttering doesn’t have to be a daunting task that requires a massive time commitment. By implementing these 14 low effort, high impact decluttering tips, you’ll gradually create a more organized and simplified living environment. Remember, consistency is key, and small actions taken consistently can lead to significant changes over time. Embrace the process and enjoy the benefits of a clutter-free and peaceful space.
I personally have a bad habit of placing items that need to be donated in the laundry room behind the door. Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. Delaying decisions means we still need to declutter.
Maybe you have a habit of delaying decisions, too. Let’s decide today where your decluttered items need to go. Do they need to be donated? Disposed of? Don’t delay that decision any longer. If they need to be donated, sort and put them in your vehicle. Then, make a note in your calendar to drop them off at your favorite charity.
As you are decluttering your items, I want you to try not to just move them to another room. You may be tempted to do that. However, resist the urge to keep everything. Decluttering means we actually part with these items. Otherwise, assign those items a permanent home where you can best utilize them.
How to Declutter with High Impact Decluttering Tips
1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.
2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.
3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina. This is one of the most useful declutter motivation tips. Listen to your body and work at decluttering when you feel the most alert and energized.
4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. This is one specific way for How to Be Ruthless When Decluttering.
5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. The goal is to purge the dead weight. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later. Read on for more declutter motivation tips and my room specific deep clean checklist, though, as you will begin cleaning after your declutter.
High Impact Decluttering for Homes with Too Much Clutter
Supplies Needed:
1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)
2. sturdy trash bags
3. marker/pen to label boxes
Decluttering Tip: Avoid using storage bins to declutter. Storage bins tend to tell your brain to “store” the items for later. That is just delaying decisions. If you aren’t getting rid of items when you declutter, you are not truly decluttering. This is why I recommend a trash bag, also. A trash bag tells your brain to “trash” the item.
Obviously, recycle if you have that option. The boxes you use should be ones you are willing to part with, so I recommend sturdy cardboard boxes. As to donations, there are many charities that will come pick up your items for you at your home.
I use one in particular where you can book an appointment for pick-up online. This is so convenient, as it saves you the hassle of hauling stuff away yourself. Scheduling that pick-up also motivates you to declutter by a certain date.
Steps & Expert Ways to Organize & Begin High Impact Decluttering
1. Start by eliminating trash first- use a sturdy trash bag
2. Sort items by category if needed so you can see what you have
3.Get rid of items that don’t work or that work poorly, expired items, anything you don’t love, anything that you’ll never use again
4. Box up the donations and trash/recycle the rest
5.Select a charity to donate your items and schedule the pick-up if that is an option
How Do You Declutter Your Entire House (and get it deep clean?): Need to deep clean?
First, My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.
Second, My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.
Third, My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.
Fourth, My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.
Fifth, My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.
You can get your printable Daily Housekeeping Routine and Deep Cleaning Your House Schedule here. This 15 page printable kit is delivered digitally to your email for you to print and personalize. What Does a Deep Clean Include? It includes a daily schedule, calendar pages, and deep cleaning checklists for every room and area of your home. Check out the link above to see a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you create your personal Homemaking Checklist.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can find that here.
New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:
Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. If you don’t have a calendar, you can grab my free weekly printable calendar page here. It is in my shopify store, but it is totally free, so you won’t be prompted to put in any payment information. It is a free download and will be delivered straight to your email.
Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.
Step 3: How do you remove clutter? How Do You Declutter Your Home?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.
Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.
Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.
Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com:
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